Before actually playing Disney Infinity 2.0, I knew very little about Disney Infinity outside of the television commercials and the annoying looping video that played in store kiosks. I completely considered it a total Skylanders clone with more expensive, Disney-themed figures. After sitting down with Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) for some long play sessions however, I can finally see that not only is this not a rip off, but it’s a whole heck of a lot of fun!

Right out of the box (or starter pack), you are given one Marvel Avengers play set and 3 Avenger characters to begin with. Using the included Disney Infinity base, you set up the play set and your chosen character, which gives you access to the all new Avengers world where you complete missions as Thor, Black Widow and Iron Man. As you progress through the missions available, you can level up your character and unlock new moves and increase stats. These upgrades actually save to your figure, so if you were to take your figure to a friend’s house and play, you can keep all of the advancements earned. Some missions are only available for certain characters in that world. For example, while exploring the city surrounding Avengers tower, i found a mission specifically for The Hulk. So collecting new figures designed for the play sets you own is the only way to access all of the missions. Sometimes it can be a drag, but players familiar with Skylanders and their sporadic availability in stores are familiar with this issue.

Disney Infinity 2.0 also features Power Discs that come packaged 3 in a blind bag. These discs fit under your figure and give extra boosts such as a special partner or a weapon. As far as I can tell, they are not necessary for gameplay; they just add an extra boost. Fortunately, by exploring the world, you can find coins with characters faces hidden throughout. By collecting 10 of the same coin, you gain access to that character (if you have the figure, of course). A great example of this is in the Avengers play set, where you can collect enough coins to let Rocket Raccoon (from Guardians of the Galaxy) enter the Avengers world. Doing this type of event unlocks special missions not accessible by the standard characters in a play set or world. I know it sounds like a giant pain with the physical collecting, needing to spend actual money purchasing figures, and all the exploring in game, but this is part of the overall fun in Disney Infinity.

If you are having a hard time finding a particular figure in the stores, or are getting tired of completing missions, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes features an all new and revamped Toy Box Mode. In the Toy Box mode you can use any of the figures you own and create your own living world with its own series of challenges and fun mini games. This revamped world is incredibly complex and will keep you busy for hours on end. You can customize your very own living space, and even change how the surrounding world looks. Different challenges are available for you to complete, and range from racing the characters from Cars, or hunting through other Disney worlds for objects, and completing these challenges unlock even more customization options for you to play with. The Toy Box mode allows you to play with any figure as well, so it’s also a good way to level up your figures without playing in the play set worlds. I have to admit, at first I thought it was a tacked on gimmick, but playing in Toy Box is loads of fun.

The visuals in Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) are a sort of a mixture of overly cute looking characters and sparsely detailed environments. Even some of the enemies you encounter have an overly cute look, sometimes making it hard to smash them into walls. It’s very strange to see Iron Man and the Hulk look so cartoony, but having played many games in the LEGO series, I got used to it quickly. Sound effects and music are fitting with your standard explosions, grunts and some decent voiceover work in the cutscenes. Very little music is used, but what is there is very good and sometimes reminds you that you are playing a Disney game (especially in the Toy Box).

This being an open world game, we are not free of some annoying glitches that pop up from time to time. A few glitched enemies will clip through walls and objects making it harder to hit them, and some camera issues make completing some tasks more of a chore then they should be. Even the Toy Box suffered from some random glitches with some challenges not completing on the first play through, and some customization elements not behaving properly. In a game with this much content, these minor annoyances are bound to happen and really do not hinder the experience all that much, and I’m sure a few updates will take care of them. Control is also something that may take some getting used to. The button layout is somewhat awkward for a game like this and you will constantly press the wrong button especially if you are in a heated battle. It will take a short while to get used to controlling everything, especially in the Toy Box, but a little time and patience will pay off in the end.

Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) is a great, family friendly game all around. The minor glitches and control issues aside, this is a fun and engaging title for players of all ages and skill. Don’t let the Disney name or characters scare you off — collecting all of the available figures and discs only adds to the fun, and they are reasonably priced from what I have seen so far. It is not necessary to collect every single figure, as only having a few still gives you hours of fun and challenging gameplay. Not having played the previous title, and diving into Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes blind, I can say that I am now a fan of the franchise and I highly recommend it.